Tube-clamp.



c. P. KUEHNER.

TUBE CLAMP. APPLICATION FILED MAR.31. I916.

' Patented Jan. 9,1917.

PATENT @FFIQE.

TUBE-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 9, 191?.

Application filed March 31, 1916. Serial No. 87,888.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES P. KUEHNER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tube-Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tube clamps oi the class designed more particularly for squeezing and closing rubber tubing such as that used in so-called fountain syringes and the like and is an improvement on my co-pending patent application Serial Number 82,296.

The object of my present invention is to provide a clamp of this character constructed of a pair of gripping jaws both formed of Wire and secured to a sheet metal body portion, by which construction this clamp may be formed of the minimum amount of metal and is of simple and inexpensive construction and one which is very effective in its operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully de scribed, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying 1is a side elevation showing my improved clamp in open position and as applied to a short length of tubing. Fig. 2-is a side elevation showing my improved clamp in closed position and as applied to a length of tubing. Fig. 3is a top view of the clamp. Fig. 4-is a bottom view of the clamp. Fig. 5-is a sectional end elevation on line 55 of Fig. 5 slightly enlarged over that figure, showing a strip of the stock raised from the bottom of the body portion divided in two and rolled over the wire arms of the lower jaw to secure the jaw members to the body portion. Fig. 6is a perspective view of the jaw closing cam member.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the body portion of my improved clamp which is constructed of sheet metal and is provided with two oppositely disposed spaced apart side ears 11, see Figs. 1 and 5, each ear being perforated as at 12 for the purpose presently described.

0th aw members of this clamp are formed of a single length of spring wire, the same being preferably first bent at its middle portion forming a ransversely disdrawings: Figure posed upper biting jaw bar 13 whose length is a little greater than the width between the side ears 11. The side arms or members 14 of this jaw are then bent inward as at 17, see Fig. 3, and extend rearwardly the desired distance, then they are bent over and back at 15 substantially upon them selves, then extend back through the body member, that portion forming the lower aw being then bent outwardly as at 18, see Fig. 4, and finally inwardly or toward each other until the ends abut forming the lower transverse jaw bar 16.

In order to permanently secure the lower jaw member to the body member, I preferably cut two strips of stock or one long strip divided in two as at 19 from the bot tom of the body member, and roll each strip outwardly as at 20 over each of the two wire side members, see Fig. 5, and by oil'- setting the wire members of the lower jaw at the point 21 as well as at 18, the opposite edges of this body member are engaged by these ofi set portions and so prevent relative longitudinal motion of the parts. By this construction, it will be seen that the biting bar of the lower jaw member is formed with two abutting ends of the wire and by securing these lower jaw members rigidly in the body portion these ends are so stillened and supported that they will not bend or yield excessively when called upon to grip the tube. In order to close these jaws upon the flexible tube, I have provided a cam member 22, which is provided with laterally extending pintles 23 pivotally mounted in the eyes 12 of the ears 11 and this cam member is provided with a pair of handles 2% and 25 by which the clamp may be operated. The cam member is preferably formed of sheet stock and its handles set at substantially right angles to each other and are so arranged as to form a stop to limit the throw of the cam in either direction.

I have shown and described but one form of clamp, but any form of clamp adapted for this purpose which is constructed of two jaw members formed from a single length of wire and one of said jaw members being permanently secured to a sheet metal body member, will fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A tube clamp comprising a sheet metal body member having two side ears, 2. pair of opposing jaw members constructed of a single piece of wire bent into a double loop both loops lying between said ears, one being secured to said body portion and a cam pivoted in said ears for closing the jaws upon the tube.

2. A tube clamp comprising a sheet metal body member having two side ears, a pair of opposing jaw members constructed of a single piece of wire consisting of two-parallel arms each bent into a U-shape loop and lying between said ears, means in said body portion for securing one arm of each loop therein, and a cam pivoted in said ears for closing said jaws upon the tube.

3. A tube clamp comprising a sheet metal Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. 0.

body member having two side ears, a pair of opposing jaw members constructed of a single piece of wire consisting of two parallel arms, each bent into a U-shape loop and lying between said ears, means in sai body portion for securing one arm of each loop therein, the arms of one of said jaw members being offset laterally to engage the ends of said body to prevent relative longitudinal motion, and a cam pivoted in said ears for closing said jaws upon the tube.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of a witness.

CHARLES P. KUEHNER. Witness:

HOWARD E. BARLOW.

Commissioner of Yatents, 

